HOLIDAY COMINGS AND GOINGS

I hope your Christmas was wonderful and peaceful, and that your plans for the New Year reflect hope and optimism.

Despite a crazy schedule right up to the last minute, we too enjoyed a very merry Christmas, though things have been hectic around the Lewis house these past few weeks. On top of swapping out the fall decor for Christmas regalia after Thanksgiving, our sweet, surrogate sons--missionaries--moved out the end of November, and we began some remodeling on the basement. An army of workers filed in and out in December, and then the reason for all the hub bub--the arrival of family for the holidays--commenced.

I took sick with some respiratory thing at the end of November, and I haven't been able to shake it yet. Christmas came and went and I couldn't sing a carol, and anyone who knows me knows how much I love to sing, especially at Christmas. Oh well...

Our children and grandchildren will be with us for another week, (all except Josh who had to leave because of work--sadness. . . )and then life will kick back into madness as I prepare the final volume of Free Men and Dreamers for a spring/summer release.

We recieved word a few weeks ago that both "Awakening Avery" and "Oh, Say Can You See?" were nominated for a Whitney Award! A nomination reflects reader support of a novel, so thank you, thank you to everyone who nomnated these books! On February 1st, we'll discover which books made it into the finals. There is a wide slate of excellent books in each category, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed with guarded optimism.

I'm taking a break for a few more days, and then it will be back to work to complete volume five. Until then my calendar's filled with family time.

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

Laurie